I feel empty inside...does anyone else feel this sometimes?

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oldgraymare2 said:
Hi thequietsinger,

You are not alone. I think that all of us go through these periods.

I agree in that I think it is where God is actually calling us to be closer to Him. No matter how you feel, just keep praying. Keep persevering. You will come out of it.

I went through a phase of what we would call “spiritual dryness” many years ago. I remember having a hard time praying. It was a really difficult time. It lasted for a little while, and then I came through it.

I kept trying my best to pray and I kept on going to Adoration, too.
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Thank you for your kind words. 🙂 I will continue praying, as it does bring much peace to me. I’m very happy to hear that you came out of it alright!
 
thequietsinger said:
Thank you for your answer, and for reminding about the Saints. I forgot about St. Theresa of Calcutta, and the spiritual darkness she went through. The only thing that troubles me is that I don’t feel as though God has abandoned me. I know it makes no sense to feel empty inside and close to God at the same time, yet I do.
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I understand what you are saying thequietsinger, still the emptiness you are feeling is also God’s way of getting you to detatch yourself from something, so that you will depend more on God than what you may have been depening on even if you have not realized what it might be. It is a way of growing in the love of God. St. John of the Cross said that the more we are empty inside the more we gain from God. I hope that you helps you some. I have been tere and I know that it can be hard trying to understand this feeling of emptiness.
 
thequietsinger said:
Thank you for your answer, and for reminding about the Saints. I forgot about St. Theresa of Calcutta, and the spiritual darkness she went through. The only thing that troubles me is that I don’t feel as though God has abandoned me. I know it makes no sense to feel empty inside and close to God at the same time, yet I do.
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I understand what you are saying thequietsinger, still the emptiness you are feeling is also God’s way of getting you to detatch yourself from something, so that you will depend more on God than what you may have been depening on even if you have not realized what it might be. It is a way of growing in the love of God. St. John of the Cross said that the more we are empty inside the more we gain from God. I hope that you helps you some. I have been there and I know that it can be hard trying to understand this feeling of emptiness.
 
spina1953 said:
I understand what you are saying thequietsinger, still the emptiness you are feeling is also God’s way of getting you to detatch yourself from something, so that you will depend more on God than what you may have been depening on even if you have not realized what it might be. It is a way of growing in the love of God. St. John of the Cross said that the more we are empty inside the more we gain from God. I hope that you helps you some. I have been tere and I know that it can be hard trying to understand this feeling of emptiness.
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This is so true, i.e., I think some of us feel the emptiness as a way to get rid of whatever else we are possibly putting first (our own will, pride, vanity. . . etc.), and once we realize what it is we are putting first, that emptiness will be filled (to a greater degree than what we initially felt before the emptiness) with God’s grace thereby transforming us into what God wants us to be.
 
josie_L said:
This is so true, i.e., I think some of us feel the emptiness as a way to get rid of whatever else we are possibly putting first (our own will, pride, vanity. . . etc.), and once we realize what it is we are putting first, that emptiness will be filled (to a greater degree than what we initially felt before the emptiness) with God’s grace thereby transforming us into what God wants us to be.
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Hi josie L: I agree with you and you have made some great points. I think that sometimes we also do not realize just how empty we are due to all the things we have in the past filled ourselves with, and then God comes along and makes us fill empty as a way to let us kmow tat we depend on Him and can do nothing without Him. Then again God decides to give us the feeling of emptiness so we can be filled with His love. it is not always easy to know, but God also wants to be what He wants to be, and since God works in mysterious ways we can’t always know so we put out trust and faith in Him that it will be Ok. At least that how it worked for me.
 
spina1953 said:
Hi josie L: I agree with you and you have made some great points. I think that sometimes we also do not realize just how empty we are due to all the things we have in the past filled ourselves with, and then God comes along and makes us fill empty as a way to let us kmow tat we depend on Him and can do nothing without Him. Then again God decides to give us the feeling of emptiness so we can be filled with His love. it is not always easy to know, but God also wants to be what He wants to be, and since God works in mysterious ways we can’t always know so we put out trust and faith in Him that it will be Ok. At least that how it worked for me.
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No, this is how it was (I’m still in it actually) for me too! 🙂 But the emptiness I refer to was more like I was lacking the usual graces and consolations I normally felt, i.e., it was like I was being made vulnerable to the point of fearing for my salvation. I can’t explain it, but if you ever read the “Imitation of Christ” you would know what I was speaking of. I have been through various trials in my life but the latest trial was the worst, i.e., it was the heaviest cross I ever had to bear.
 
josie_L said:
No, this is how it was (I’m still in it actually) for me too! 🙂 But the emptiness I refer to was more like I was lacking the usual graces and consolations I normally felt, i.e., it was like I was being made vulnerable to the point of fearing for my salvation. I can’t explain it, but if you ever read the “Imitation of Christ” you would know what I was speaking of. I have been through various trials in my life but the latest trial was the worst, i.e., it was the heaviest cross I ever had to bear.
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Hi Josie L: I think I understand where you are coming from. It is sometimes God’s way of making us depended on Him. It is like a test as for example a mother might allow a child to fall while it takes its first steps and wants to be back in its mothers arms. This might not make any sense to you, but its a way that God does for those He is wanting one to learn His ways that are more spiritual and gain strength. I do not know if you have read these books but if you have not you might I suggest read The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle and St. John of the Cross The Dark Night of the Soul. These books might be of some little help to you. The Imitation of Christ is a very good book to read and glad that you did there is much food for thought and can be very uplifting to the soul. We all go through some trials in our lives some more so and more trying then at other times. It is those times that Prayer is more needed in that prayer is like a face to face conversation with God letting Him know whats going on in one’s life. Remember God will not let you bear more than you can carry and He will give you the graces and love to overcome it and bear it as long as needed. I know that sometimes it seems that it is too much to bear and that God has somehow left us on our own. This is normal in a way as we Descalsed Carmelites are taught that we need to detatch ourselves from wanting spiritual consolations and the usaul graces that make us feel good in our soul. God wants to give us more but if we just look to consolations etc… it becomes spiritual gluttony, and one needs to detatch oneself from that so that we can be filled with more of what God wants to give us. I do not know if that helps you any but hope it does in some little way.
 
thequietsinger said:
Thank you for your answer, and for reminding about the Saints. I forgot about St. Theresa of Calcutta, and the spiritual darkness she went through. The only thing that troubles me is that I don’t feel as though God has abandoned me. I know it makes no sense to feel empty inside and close to God at the same time, yet I do.
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I dont think feelings like this are normal; just a reminder that we are not yet fully united with Him. Listen, when I get these feelings, it helps me a ton to say with all my heart, “I offer my loneliness to You, God!” so that way some extra spiritual benefit is drawn from it and for sometimes I actually stop feeling so lonely 🙂 Hope this helps.
 
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